Posted: 8/8/2026 11:24:59 AM EDT
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I have a home alarm system and the zone for windows has an open window indicator. There are no open windows. The issue is that 8 or 9 windows are on the same zone. I have cleaned all the window sensors and nothing seems out of line. In my mind there should be an easy was to isolate the culprit but I can’t figure it out. Any thoughts? |
I don't know how this works, but I nominate Joker and Fluffy for arfcom sainthood.
| Don’t know anything about your system but can you isolate each one to its own system? How about disconnecting each one one at a time until you stop getting the window open signal? |
"It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things."
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
| They are wired with the sensor in the window frame. I cannot see the wires, just the sensor top. I think that all the window wires are tied together somewhere before they enter the control box. How would I multi meter this? The sensor closes when the window shuts and a magnet touches the sensor. |
I don't know how this works, but I nominate Joker and Fluffy for arfcom sainthood.
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Originally Posted By hollowhandle: They are wired with the sensor in the window frame. I cannot see the wires, just the sensor top. I think that all the window wires are tied together somewhere before they enter the control box. How would I multi meter this? The sensor closes when the window shuts and a magnet touches the sensor. Have you opened the control box to see if each sensor wire enters the box? |
"It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things."
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
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I’ll get a pic tomorrow. I have control box and there is not enough wires to represent all the windows I have , which makes me think they are combined before they enter the control box. |
I don't know how this works, but I nominate Joker and Fluffy for arfcom sainthood.
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Licensed alarm tech from 98 to 03 here. Lots of prewire companies wire all of their window contacts in series per zone. This saves on materials and labor. Assuming one of the contacts is bad, an experienced tech sould be able to pull the contacts, test each one individually, and replace the contact (assuming the contacts were installed correctly). Lots of variables involved. If a wire is cut somewhere, you might have to cut some holes in the walls to find the point where continuity was lost. Most alarm companies refuse to troubleshoot bad wiring, and will only offer wireless options b to fix your problem. |
z - Deplorable Neanderthal Garbage per liberal media.
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Originally Posted By hollowhandle: I’ll get a pic tomorrow. I have control box and there is not enough wires to represent all the windows I have , which makes me think they are combined before they enter the control box. If you are lucky, each window and door is wired to your panel location, and the wires were then wired in series, per zone, then stuck back into the cavity behind your panel, and a single wire per zone pulled into the panel for termination. DSC security system brand? |
z - Deplorable Neanderthal Garbage per liberal media.
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I have very little experience with this but I can't imagine it is a very complicated switch. The first thing I might do is have someone monitor the panel while you go around and blow compresses air and tap on each switch. Have them yell at you if the circuit closes. I'm assuming there is a magnet mounted on the window and when it gets close to the switch, the switch closes the circuit. To test it, I would recommend removing the switch, set your multi meter to read ohms, touch your leads to the terminals, and watch the readings. It should show infinite resistance. When you introduce a magnet, you should see little resistance. |
I've been told I have an abrasive personality.
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Originally Posted By zach_: Licensed alarm tech from 98 to 03 here. Lots of prewire companies wire all of their window contacts in series per zone. This saves on materials and labor. Assuming one of the contacts is bad, an experienced tech sould be able to pull the contacts, test each one individually, and replace the contact (assuming the contacts were installed correctly). Lots of variables involved. If a wire is cut somewhere, you might have to cut some holes in the walls to find the point where continuity was lost. Most alarm companies refuse to troubleshoot bad wiring, and will only offer wireless options b to fix your problem. This guy is a pro. Take his advice, he saved me typing. |
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Originally Posted By INI: This guy is a pro. Take his advice, he saved me typing. I got my license for security and residential sprinkler systems to allow my employer to charge for single station smoke detector monitoring. It added $5 per month to a homeowner's monthly monitoring to monitor a single smoke detector installed at the required spot in a given home. The homeowners ciuld add more detectors as desired. I also had to be on site when the prewire was performed. My employer asked that I attend a state required 3 day class, and score over 85% per the BS regulations at the time. I passed the test. I got a $3 per hour raise and became a supervisor. WOOT! The trip to Austin TX to take the test included a nice hotel stay, a titty bar outing with the drink/dance tab covered, and all meals paid. WOO HOO! Many other security techs in the company had years of experience, and were much better at at security system field work than me, but they couldn't pass the fire/sprinkler system test. NFPA13 iirc. I hindsight, I was the guy who got promoted that was not as competent at his actual job than the other people passed over for the position. 
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z - Deplorable Neanderthal Garbage per liberal media.
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Originally Posted By zach_: I got my license for security and residential sprinkler systems to allow my employer to charge for single station smoke detector monitoring. It added $5 per month to a homeowner's monthly monitoring to monitor a single smoke detector installed at the required spot in a given home. The homeowners ciuld add more detectors as desired. I also had to be on site when the prewire was performed. My employer asked that I attend a state required 3 day class, and score over 85% per the BS regulations at the time. I passed the test. I got a $3 per hour raise and became a supervisor. WOOT! The trip to Austin TX to take the test included a nice hotel stay, a titty bar outing with the drink/dance tab covered, and all meals paid. WOO HOO! Many other security techs in the company had years of experience, and were much better at at security system field work than me, but they couldn't pass the fire/sprinkler system test. NFPA13 iirc. I hindsight, I was the guy who got promoted that was not as competent at his actual job than the other people passed over for the position. Good info in your first post! It doesn’t answer the OP’s question and slightly off topic but……what do you think is a good system today? |
"It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things."
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
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Originally Posted By ColtRifle: Good info in your first post! It doesn’t answer the OP’s question and slightly off topic but……what do you think is a good system today? Originally Posted By ColtRifle: Originally Posted By zach_: I got my license for security and residential sprinkler systems to allow my employer to charge for single station smoke detector monitoring. It added $5 per month to a homeowner's monthly monitoring to monitor a single smoke detector installed at the required spot in a given home. The homeowners ciuld add more detectors as desired. I also had to be on site when the prewire was performed. My employer asked that I attend a state required 3 day class, and score over 85% per the BS regulations at the time. I passed the test. I got a $3 per hour raise and became a supervisor. WOOT! The trip to Austin TX to take the test included a nice hotel stay, a titty bar outing with the drink/dance tab covered, and all meals paid. WOO HOO! Many other security techs in the company had years of experience, and were much better at at security system field work than me, but they couldn't pass the fire/sprinkler system test. NFPA13 iirc. I hindsight, I was the guy who got promoted that was not as competent at his actual job than the other people passed over for the position. Good info in your first post! It doesn’t answer the OP’s question and slightly off topic but……what do you think is a good system today? I have been out of the field since 03. DSC was the most popular brand at the time. DSC stopped making wireless components. ETA;After a little research,,, DSC discontinued their previous series of wireless products, and replaced them with newer tech. That would be fun to explain to a homeowner that bought a new security system, signed a 5 year contract 2 years ago, and wants to add to his 'state of the art' security system. What I have seen is Honeywell in the few new homes that I have been in recently. *Last night I was PWI.  I didn't notice that the thread was in a DIY forum. I do not recommend anyone jacking with their security system.
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z - Deplorable Neanderthal Garbage per liberal media.
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Window alarm switches are usually a magnet in the moving part of the window, and a N. O. reed switch along the frame. The magnet closes the switch when the window is closed. The switches are all wired in a series back to the panel. If you can see the wires / switches, probably easiest to replace them until the circuit closes. https://www.amazon.com/FOCMKEAS-Magnetic-Normally-NO-MC-31/dp/B0DBM1H7GY If you can't see the wires / swiches, then likely a magnet got displaced. So get a small neodymium magnet, go to each window and locate on each where the current one is placed. Have someone at the panel watch the circuit. Hold the magnet in place until the circuit closes. You'll have to secure the new magnet in the correct location to close the circuit when the window is closed. https://www.amazon.com/Deryun-Multifunctional-Different-Neodymium-Handicrafts/dp/B0GX1CPJDN Hopefully this works, and you don't have a wire loose somewhere. |
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| Hey, I was thinking along this line and have some magnets on the way. If that doesn’t work, is my next step to see if I can the sensors out of the window ledge to get to the wires? |
I don't know how this works, but I nominate Joker and Fluffy for arfcom sainthood.
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Originally Posted By hollowhandle: Hey, I was thinking along this line and have some magnets on the way. If that doesn’t work, is my next step to see if I can the sensors out of the window ledge to get to the wires? I suggest calling a pro if you discover that you can't fix it with a magnet. The trouble shooting process involves an ohm meter/continuity tester, tone generator, and inductive probe to test the wiring at your panel before pulling the contacts out of the window frames. |
z - Deplorable Neanderthal Garbage per liberal media.
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Here is the control board. Attached File |
I don't know how this works, but I nominate Joker and Fluffy for arfcom sainthood.
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Originally Posted By hollowhandle: Here is the control board. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/44438/IMG_0496_jpeg-3809060.JPG Wider angle possible? |
z - Deplorable Neanderthal Garbage per liberal media.
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How is this? Attached File |
I don't know how this works, but I nominate Joker and Fluffy for arfcom sainthood.
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Originally Posted By hollowhandle: How is this? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/44438/IMG_2656_jpeg-3809440.JPG Eeeeesh. Call the alarm company that monitors your system to dig through that. There is probably a sticker on the panel with the company that performed the activation of the system. Did you make sure that you did not have a magnet missing? |
z - Deplorable Neanderthal Garbage per liberal media.
| Manuals : https://www.dsc.com/index.php?n=Products&o=view&id=1 |
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